JP2008004415A - Three dimensional light source body - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an energy-saving light source body as well as being very efficient and capable of being used to totally radiate light in an upper direction or a lower direction. <P>SOLUTION: The light source body can be used by radiating light in different directions. The light source body is provided with LED elements 1 of pn junction semiconductive bodies as actual members for emitting light, and a base 2 made in a three dimensional shape and supporting a plurality of the LED elements 1. A plurality of composing surfaces 21 among the three-dimensional composing surfaces 21 in a relationship of facing different directions with their normals not crossing each other on a radiating side of the light are set as LED supporting surfaces for supporting the LED elements 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light source body that can irradiate light in almost all directions spatially, such as a candle and a light bulb.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an illumination device that includes a light source body in which a plurality of LED elements are arranged and a lens array that includes a plurality of lenses corresponding to the LED elements.

Specifically, the light source body used in this type of illumination device is preferably mounted with a high density of LED elements on a circuit board so that it can be suitably used as a backlight of a liquid crystal panel, for example. It is comprised so that parallel light can be obtained (for example, refer patent document 1).
JP-A-2005-228606

  However, in such a conventional configuration, in particular, the configuration of Patent Document 1, although it is possible to irradiate light having directivity in a specific direction while suppressing variation in luminance, the light is directed upward, for example, like a candle or a light bulb. It is difficult to satisfy the desire to irradiate the whole area downward or downward.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and its main purpose is to efficiently use light while irradiating light upward and downward, etc. while being power-saving. Is to provide a simple light source.

  That is, the light source body according to the present invention is a light source body that can be used by irradiating light in different directions, and is a PN junction semiconductor and an LED element that is a member that actually emits light. A plurality of constituent surfaces that have a base that supports a plurality of elements and that are in a relationship in which the normal lines do not intersect with each other on the light irradiation side while facing different directions among the constituent surfaces constituting the three-dimensional shape. It is set as an LED support surface for supporting an element.

  Here, the “LED element” refers to what is generally called a bare chip, and does not include a shell type. In addition, the LED support surface does not matter whether the LED element is directly supported or indirectly supported.

  If it is such, the optical axis of the irradiation light which each several LED element each each supported by each LED support surface irradiates does not cross | intersect on the irradiation side.

  Therefore, it can be used by irradiating light upward or downward as if it were a candle or a light bulb.

  In addition, since the LED element is supported on the LED support surface constituting the three-dimensional shape, for example, it is possible to irradiate strong light from a small area, compared to the case where the LED elements are arranged in a plane, and this Thus, it is possible to suitably cope with various usage modes such as a point light source effect, that is, a condensing process and a parallelizing process can be suitably performed.

  In other words, it can be used efficiently by irradiating light upwards and downwards like a candle or a light bulb, and it can easily use, for example, a large amount of parallel light. Therefore, it is possible to provide an excellent light source body that can appropriately meet diversifying needs.

  In addition, if the optical axes of the LED elements intersect at substantially one point on the light non-irradiation side, the point light source property can be further enhanced. In other words, from an ideal point light source that shines at a very small point, it can be focused on, for example, a very small point by combining with a lens system, or light with very high parallelism can be obtained. Can be obtained, but the same effect can be obtained.

  Moreover, as a desirable aspect of the base of this invention, what this base is a convex polyhedron is mentioned.

  Here, the “convex polyhedron” refers to a polyhedron in which any face of the polyhedron does not intersect with the polyhedron, as represented by a regular polyhedron, for example.

  In order to prevent the manufacture of the base from becoming unnecessarily complicated, it is desirable that the base is a truncated quadrangular pyramid, and a surface other than the bottom surface is used as the LED support surface.

  If a power supply circuit for supplying power to the LED element is formed integrally with the base, the LED is directly mounted on the base, so the assembly man-hours and the like can be reduced to reduce costs. Is possible.

  On the other hand, if a power supply circuit for supplying power to the LED element is formed on a circuit board that can be attached to the base, the LED is mounted on a circuit board separate from the base. The degree of freedom of selection of the base material can be increased.

  If the LED element is a flip chip type in which both electrodes are taken from the upper surface side, which is an epitaxial surface, and mounted with the top and bottom turned upside down, the face-up type does not require the necessary wires, and the size can be reduced. Further, a good heat dissipation effect can be obtained by mounting the electrodes on the circuit board by bump bonding or the like.

  For each LED element, if a condensing lens or a reflecting surface is provided to guide the light emitted from each LED element in a direction different from the optical axis thereof in a direction that matches the optical axis direction, the optical axes of the LED elements If the light source is a point light source as described above, the reflection surface of the concave portion causes almost all of the light emitted by the LED element to be It can align with the optical axis direction of this LED element. Accordingly, the light emitted from the light source body can be seen to be emitted from, for example, approximately one point on the light irradiation side, and the role as a point light source body can be maximized.

  If the LED element is provided in a direction in which the LED element irradiates in a direction different from the optical axis of the LED element in a direction substantially matching the optical axis direction, the LED element radiates by the condenser lens. All the light can be aligned in the optical axis direction of the LED element. Accordingly, the light emitted from the light source body can be seen to be emitted from, for example, approximately one point on the light irradiation side, and the role as a point light source body can be maximized.

  If it is an illuminating device using at least the above-mentioned light source body, and this illuminating device comprises a lens for converging or diverging the irradiation light on the irradiation side of the LED element, a plurality of LEDs Compared to devices arranged side by side on a plane, the base portion can be made smaller in plan view, contributing to overall compactness.

  The light source body includes a plurality of LED elements arranged in a three-dimensional shape, but a single LED element can achieve the same effect. That is, the PN junction surface which is a light emitting surface has a three-dimensional shape. As a thing that can be regarded as an ideal point light source in combination with an optical system (for example, it can be focused on a very small point, or light with a very high degree of parallelism can be obtained) What is formed in spherical shape or partial spherical shape is more preferable.

  As described above, in the light source body according to the present invention, the optical axes of the irradiation lights irradiated by the plurality of LED elements respectively supported by the LED support surfaces do not intersect on the irradiation side.

  That is, to provide an excellent light source body that can be used by irradiating light in an upward or downward direction as in the case of a candle or a light bulb, for example, while efficiently saving power. Can do.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The light source body A according to this embodiment is a light source that can be used by irradiating light in different directions. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the LED element 1 having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and the LED element 1 is provided with a base 2 that supports a plurality of (1 in this embodiment) 1 and a mold member 3 (not shown in FIG. 1) that covers the LED element 1. Hereinafter, each part is demonstrated concretely.

  The LED element 1 is a PN junction semiconductor and a member that actually emits light. In the present embodiment, both the electrodes 11a and 11b are taken from the upper surface side that is an epitaxial surface and the top and bottom are turned over. In this state, a flip chip type that is mounted on the power supply circuit 22 by bump bonding is used.

  The base 2 has a solid block shape that forms a truncated quadrangular pyramid having a substantially square vertical cross section, and is formed of aluminum nitride in this embodiment.

  In addition, the six constituent surfaces 21a to 21f (hereinafter collectively referred to as the constituent surface 21) constituting the truncated quadrangular pyramid are directed in different directions and do not intersect with each other on the light irradiation side. Therefore, all of these six constituent surfaces 21 can be set as LED support surfaces for supporting the LED element 1, but for the convenience of securing the mounting portion of the base 2, in the present embodiment, these six constituent surfaces 21. Of the surface 21, constituent surfaces 21a to 21e other than the bottom surface 21f are set as LED support surfaces.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a power supply circuit 22 for supplying power to the LED element 1 is integrally formed on the surface of the base 2.

  The mold member 3 is formed of a material (for example, a silicone resin, an epoxy resin, or glass) that can efficiently transmit the irradiation light of the LED element 1.

  An example of the operation of the light source body A configured as described above will be described below.

  When power is supplied to each LED element 1 supported on each LED support surface 21a to 21e (collectively referred to as LED support surface 21) via the power supply circuit 22, each LED element 1 emits light. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the optical axis La of the irradiation light irradiated by each LED element 1 does not intersect on the irradiation side. Therefore, the irradiation light of the light source body A is irradiated as a whole in the upward direction, the lateral direction, etc. like a candle or a light bulb, for example.

  As described above, according to the light source body A according to the present embodiment, the optical axes La of the irradiation lights irradiated by the plurality of LED elements 1 respectively supported by the LED support surfaces 21a to 21e intersect on the irradiation side. There is nothing.

  Therefore, it can be used by irradiating light upward or downward as if it were a candle or a light bulb.

  In addition, since the LED element 1 is supported on the LED support surface 21 constituting a three-dimensional shape, for example, even with the same light amount, the LED element 1 can be illuminated in a smaller area than when the LED elements 1 are arranged in a plane. In other words, the amount of light per unit area when viewed in plan can be increased. Therefore, the point light source property can be further enhanced, and for example, it is possible to suitably cope with various usage modes such as a condensing process and a parallelizing process being suitably performed.

  In other words, it can be used efficiently by irradiating light, for example, in the upward or lateral direction, like a candle or a light bulb, and easily using, for example, a large amount of parallel light. Thus, it is possible to provide an excellent light source body A that can suitably meet diversifying needs.

  Since the base 2 is a truncated quadrangular pyramid and the constituent surfaces 21a to 21e other than the bottom surface 21f are LED support surfaces, it is possible to prevent the base 2 from being unnecessarily complicated.

  Since the power supply circuit 22 for supplying power to the LED element 1 is formed integrally with the base 2, the LED can be directly mounted on the base 2, thereby reducing the number of assembly steps and the like and reducing the cost. be able to.

  Since the flip-chip type LED element 1 is used as the LED element 1, a face-up type wire is unnecessary and the size can be reduced. Moreover, the electrodes 11a and 11b can be mounted on the power supply circuit 22 by bump bonding to obtain a good heat dissipation effect.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, the base 2 is a truncated quadrangular pyramid. However, the base 2 can be, for example, a convex polyhedron represented by a regular polyhedron (ultimately spherical or partially spherical). .

  In addition, as long as both the condition (1) “the structural plane to be evaluated faces in different directions” and the condition (2) “the normals do not intersect on the irradiation side” are satisfied, FIG. The light source body of the present invention is not limited to that shown in (e). In particular, the light source body shown in FIG. 4E can irradiate light evenly in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, as a whole.

  Further, although the base 2 is made of aluminum nitride, it does not prevent the base 2 from being formed using another material that is an insulator and has excellent heat conduction characteristics.

  Further, the LED element is a face-up type in which both electrodes 11 ′ a and 11 ′ b are taken from the upper surface side which is an epitaxial surface as shown in FIG. 5 and power is supplied from the power supply circuit 22 through a wire. The LED element 11 ′ is not prevented.

  In addition, a power supply circuit 22 for supplying power to the LED element 1 is integrally formed on the surface of the base 2, but the power supply circuit 22 is formed on the base 2 as shown in FIG. The circuit board B may be integrally formed with circuit board elements Ba to Be that can be attached and superposed on the LED support surfaces 21 a to 21 e, respectively. If comprised in this way, since the LED element 1 can be mounted in the circuit board B separate from the base 2, the freedom degree of selection of the material of the base 2 can be enlarged.

  Further, by providing an optical unit 4 (corresponding to the “lens” of the present invention) as shown in FIG. 7 on the irradiation side of the LED element 1, it can be used as an illumination device P using the light source body A.

  Specifically, the optical unit 4 includes a solid transparent body 41 having a rotating body shape formed so that a cross-sectional area gradually increases from the body base end surface 4a toward the body front end surface 4b. In the body base end face 4a, a recess 42 for accommodating the LED element 1 is opened.

  The bottom surface 42a of the concave portion 42 has a convex lens shape that swells toward the base end surface 4a side, and the side surface 42b is a tapered surface that gradually expands toward the base end surface 4a side. On the other hand, a central convex lens portion 43 is formed on the front end surface 4b of the body by bulging the central portion, and a ring-shaped convex lens portion 44 having a different curvature is formed around the central convex lens portion 43. It is formed. Further, a curved bulging surface 45 formed so that the cross-sectional contour forms a parabola is provided on the side surface of the body 41.

  As shown in FIG. 8, among the light L emitted from the LED element 1, substantially all the light L that has passed through the side surface 42b of the recess 42 reaches the curved bulging surface 45 and is totally reflected there. Then, the light L is emitted outside as the light L in the direction close to each other toward the optical axis La through the ring-shaped convex lens portion 44. On the other hand, of the light L emitted from the LED element 1, substantially all of the light L that has passed through the bottom surface 42 a of the recess 42 collides with each other toward the optical axis La through the central convex lens portion 43. It is configured to be emitted to the outside as the light L in the direction. The condensing position of the light L emitted from the convex lens portions 43 and 44 is set to be substantially the same position.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, substantially all the light L emitted from the LED element 1 and radiated to the outside from the body front end surface 4b of the optical unit 4 is contained in a position X that is separated from the front end surface 4b by a predetermined distance. In addition, the illuminance within the constant effective diameter is configured to change substantially uniformly or smoothly.

  According to the illuminating device P including the optical unit 4 and the light source body A configured as described above, the irradiation light emitted from the LED element 1 is emitted from the body front end surface 4b with only a single body 41 without substantially leaking. The effect that it can inject can be produced.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the LED elements 1 are supported on a plurality of LED support surfaces 21 constituting the surface of the substantially hemispherical base 2, and the optical axes h of the LED elements 1 are opposite to each other. If it is configured to gather at approximately one point (h0) on the irradiation side, the optical axis h is the direction of the strongest light as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. For example, when it is condensed by a lens system, it can be condensed at a very small point, or when it is parallelized, its parallelism is extremely high. Thus, an ideal optical system can be configured.

  At this time, if the base 2 is made of copper, and the base 2 is placed on the copper substrate Dy on which the diamond thin film layer Dx is formed by, for example, the CVD method, the LED element 1 is generated. The heat transferred to the base 2 is transferred in the direction along the surface of the copper substrate Dy by the diamond thin film layer Dx, and is further generated in the LED element 1 because the copper substrate Dy dissipates the heat in the thickness direction. Heat can be dissipated very efficiently. Therefore, it is possible to provide an illumination device including a light source body that is compact and has an excellent heat dissipation effect. It does not prevent the diamond thin film layer Dx from being other than pure diamond such as diamond-like carbon.

  Further, an embodiment in which a heat pipe is used for heat radiation of the light source body A is also conceivable.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, a heat radiating member J for supporting the light source A and radiating heat (preferably a metal having a diamond layer J1 formed by a CVD method on the surface) is hollowed in a metal tube. And a pipe connected to a heat pipe HP in which a heat medium that is liquefied or vaporized at a temperature near room temperature is enclosed. In FIG. 10, the heat radiation effect is further improved by providing fins FN and a fan (not shown) to the heat pipe HP, but the configuration is not limited to this, such as using the heat pipe HP alone. Absent. Further, the optical unit 4 may not be used.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the base 2 is formed with a plurality of recesses 2 a for arranging the LED elements 1 on the surface, and is generally hemispherical as a whole, and the optical axis h of each LED element 1. The light beams are arranged so that they are gathered at approximately one point (h0) on the light-irradiation side, and the light emitted from the LED element 1 arranged in each recess 2a in a direction different from the optical axis h is the recess 2a. An embodiment is also conceivable in which the reflecting surface 2a1 that is the upright surface of the light is reflected in a direction substantially matching the direction of the optical axis h.

  According to such a configuration, substantially all of the light emitted by the LED element 1 can be aligned in the optical axis direction of the LED element 1 with better directivity by the reflecting surface 2a1 of the recess 2a. Accordingly, the light emitted from the light source body A appears to emit light from approximately one point (h0) on the light irradiation side, which is approximately the center of the substantially hemispherical base 2, so that the point light source is smaller than that described above. Optically very high quality light that can be approximated can be obtained.

  Similar effects can be obtained with a refractive lens instead of reflection. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the base 2 is formed with a plurality of LED support surfaces 21 for supporting the LED elements 1 on the surface and is generally hemispherical as a whole, and the optical axes h of the LED elements 1 are The light beam is configured to be gathered at approximately one point (h0) on the light non-irradiation side, and for each LED element 1, the light emitted from the LED element 1 in a direction different from the optical axis h is defined as the optical axis h direction. A configuration in which a solid condensing lens 1a that is guided in a substantially matching direction may be provided.

  In addition, the dashed-two dotted line shown from each LED element 1 in FIG. 11, FIG. 12 represents the directivity of light.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, the base 2 may have a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and a plurality of LED elements 1 may be arranged in a plurality of rows along the longitudinal direction.

  The light source body A has a plurality of LED elements 1 arranged in a three-dimensional shape, but a single LED element can be configured to produce the same effect. That is, the PN junction surface, which is the light emitting surface, has a three-dimensional shape. As an example, as shown in FIG. 14, the LED element 1 ′ has a spherical shape (or partial spherical shape) as a whole, and the PN junction surface 1a ′, which is a light emitting surface, also has a spherical shape (or partial spherical shape). Can be mentioned. In such a case, although it is a three-dimensional shape, it can emit light in a smaller area, and light having the same properties as light emitted from an ideal point light source (for example, a very small point) That can collect light or obtain light with a very high degree of parallelism). Such an LED element 1 ′ can be manufactured, for example, by growing a semiconductor material while dropping it, or by growing it in a weightless state in outer space.

  In addition, the specific configuration of each part is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 is an overall perspective view showing a light source body in an embodiment of the present invention. The principal part enlarged view which shows typically the attachment aspect of the LED element in the embodiment. Action | operation explanatory drawing of the light source body in the embodiment. The figure which shows the example of a judgment whether it corresponds to the light source body in the embodiment. The principal part enlarged view which shows typically the attachment aspect of the LED element in other embodiment of this invention. The expanded view which shows the circuit board in other embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the illuminating device in other embodiment of this invention. Action | operation explanatory drawing of the illuminating device in the embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the illuminating device in other embodiment of this invention. The whole figure which shows the illuminating device in other embodiment of Ming. The figure which shows the light source body in other embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the light source body in other embodiment of this invention. The whole perspective view which shows the light source body in other embodiment of this invention. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the LED element in other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

A ... light source body B ... circuit board P ... lighting device 1 ... LED element 1a ····················································· Reflection surface 4 ······· Lens
21... Configuration surfaces 21 a to 21 e... LED support surface 21 f... Bottom surface 22.・ Optical axis (light-irradiated side)

Claims (11)

A light source that can be used by irradiating light in different directions,
An LED element that is a PN junction semiconductor and a member that actually emits light, and a base that has a three-dimensional shape and supports a plurality of the LED elements;
Among the constituent surfaces constituting the three-dimensional shape, a plurality of constituent surfaces that are oriented in different directions and do not intersect with each other on the light irradiation side are set as LED support surfaces for supporting the LED elements. A light source body characterized by   The light source body according to claim 1, wherein the optical axes of the LED elements intersect at substantially one point on the light non-irradiation side.   The light source body according to claim 1, wherein the base is a convex polyhedron.   The light source body according to claim 3, wherein the base is a truncated quadrangular pyramid, and a surface other than the bottom surface is used as the LED support surface.   The light source body according to claim 1, wherein a power supply circuit for supplying power to the LED element is formed integrally with the base.   The light source body according to claim 1, wherein a power supply circuit for supplying power to the LED element is formed on a circuit board that can be attached to the base.   The light source body according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the LED element is a flip chip type in which both electrodes are taken from an upper surface side which is an epitaxial surface and mounted in an upside down state.   The reflective surface which reflects the light which a LED element irradiates in the direction different from the optical axis on the said base in the direction which substantially corresponds with the said optical axis direction is provided. Light source body.   2. A condensing lens that guides light emitted from the LED element in a direction different from the optical axis thereof in a direction substantially matching the optical axis direction is provided for each of the LED elements. 8. The light source body according to any one of 8. An illumination device comprising at least the light source body according to claim 1,
An illumination device comprising a lens for converging or diverging the irradiation light on the irradiation side of the LED element. An LED element, wherein a PN junction surface which is a light emitting surface is formed in a spherical shape or a partial spherical shape.